Twenty Years Of Wonder As Six Nations Sparkles On
The Rugby Paper|January 19, 2020
Brendan Gallagher looks back at the glories – and grumbles – from the start of the great tournament
Twenty Years Of Wonder As Six Nations Sparkles On

With the Six Nations almost upon us and all the debate and argument that will engender we should pause first to consider the first 20 years of the tournament around which the European season is still based.

It’s as old as the Millennium but retains a shiny new feel despite being a direct descendent of the old Four and then Five Nations tournaments. It has given us a new rugby venue – the Olympic Stadium Rome – and a new stadium in the Aviva in Dublin, while it’s worth remembering the Principality in Cardiff and the Stade de France in Paris, had only been up and running for two years when the tournament kicked off.

With Twickenham being upgraded and Murrayfield still looking good it’s difficult to think of any sporting tournament in the world that enjoys such week-in, week-out grandeur.

The old Five Nations was restructured amid much fanfare to belatedly accommodate Italy who had been banging the door down for five or six years and if that hasn’t really worked out for the Italians – yet – it has certainly changed the ambience and rhythm of the tournament for the better. It has become much less of a stag do, the genie is out of the bottle.

Wives and girlfriends, having sampled the delights of a rugby weekend in Rome, quickly becoming determined not to miss out on the other five venues. Ryanair and Easyjet executives surely toast the tournament every time their annual bonus drops into their accounts.

What else has changed? The growth of technology has grown massively, especially in the last decade, and has become part of the Six Nations experience although you can only reflect on what might have been in one or two instances before its use had been fully developed and refined.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة January 19, 2020 من The Rugby Paper.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة January 19, 2020 من The Rugby Paper.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

المزيد من القصص من THE RUGBY PAPER مشاهدة الكل
Morris hat-trick lifts Steelmen
The Rugby Paper

Morris hat-trick lifts Steelmen

HOOKER Ieuan Morris came off the bench to settle matters for Ebbw Vale at Carmarthen Quins with his stunning second half hat-trick completing a 39-11 victory in Super Rygbi Cymru.

time-read
3 mins  |
October 27, 2024
Joe keen to follow in family footsteps
The Rugby Paper

Joe keen to follow in family footsteps

JOE Ford is leading the charge to take Doncaster Knights to the promised land but says they have a long way to go before that becomes reality.

time-read
3 mins  |
October 27, 2024
Robson keen to make it to the top with Coventry
The Rugby Paper

Robson keen to make it to the top with Coventry

COVENTRY ended the first five-match block of fixtures as the Championship’s only unbeaten side and full-back Charlie Robson has his sights set on promotion, and eventually playing for England.

time-read
1 min  |
October 27, 2024
Hancox joins the 200 club
The Rugby Paper

Hancox joins the 200 club

AFTER 10 years of donning the red, black and yellow shirt for Bournemouth, skipper Grant Hancox made his 200th appearance this month after their Regional 2 South Central clash against Winchester.

time-read
1 min  |
October 27, 2024
Bear keen to be a big hit Down Under
The Rugby Paper

Bear keen to be a big hit Down Under

FORMER Cornish Pirates back row Bear Williams has flourished in making the difficult transition from rugby union to league and has plans to play in Australia’s NRL. `

time-read
2 mins  |
October 27, 2024
To play in two World Cups was a dream
The Rugby Paper

To play in two World Cups was a dream

RUGBY started quite late for me.

time-read
6 mins  |
October 27, 2024
Call time on this pantomime ploy
The Rugby Paper

Call time on this pantomime ploy

THIS 60-second shot clock twaddle. If we must continue to plough down this blind alley it needs to apply from the moment the referee awards the penalty. If the authorities are going to put some stick about at least do it properly and with conviction.

time-read
4 mins  |
October 27, 2024
Coetzee's pulling his weight again
The Rugby Paper

Coetzee's pulling his weight again

WHETHER he starts or comes off the bench, Jaco Coetzee is just happy to be contributing fully to Bath’s revival after an injury-hit start to his career in blue, black and white.

time-read
2 mins  |
October 27, 2024
Murray's on a wing - and a prayer ...
The Rugby Paper

Murray's on a wing - and a prayer ...

BLAIR Murray began the week ‘in a state of shock’ at having gone from nowhere on one side of the world to the starting grid for the autumn Tests on the other.

time-read
3 mins  |
October 27, 2024
We need to kick on after winning at last
The Rugby Paper

We need to kick on after winning at last

Paul Rees talks to Ethan Grayson who heard from two rugby legends after he helped Newcastle end their 25-match losing run

time-read
5 mins  |
October 27, 2024